APPLICATION STRATEGIES FOR BACILLUS-THURINGIENSIS

The value of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in many crop management systems is now established; notably safety, including natural enemy preservation, and resistance management. However, constraints imposed by the characteristics of Bt demand that a greater understanding of the interactions between the physical and biological elements in a pest management system be obtained. Without this understanding, and education of the user to properly implement this knowledge, the use of Bt will not be successful. Bt has many characteristics that make definition of an application strategy important. This strategy should bring together three basic areas of understanding: knowledge about the biological and physical characteristics of Bt, particularly its route of uptake by the pest, mode of action and persistence in the environment; understanding of the physical process of spray application that deliver the Bt; knowledge of the behavior of individual pest species. By integrating these three areas of understanding into an application strategy, the effectiveness of Bt can be maximized.